Ayami Interferance
by Sen Yamamoto
Summary: A girl from Sunagakure creates problems for Sasori and Deidara. Majorly Revised. Life in Akatsuki. Itachi and OC, gradually. I don't own Naruto. Please review! After eight they are all awesome /for my writing/
1. Chapter 1

Ayami sat on the park bench, tapping her foot, waiting for her contact. Watanabe should already be here! There was a rustle in the leaves and her

was standing next to her. The foremost poison specialist in this area, dealing mainly with poisons that were stored in the fatty tissue, later to be released by chemicals in the blood.

His body was gnarled, but strong. "Let's walk."

Ayami nodded and stood silently. The Kazekage's words rang in her mind. No matter what it takes, get the intelligence. The idea was repulsive; orders are orders regardless. Why had she ever decided to be a Jounin? That was a thought for another time, for now she needed to keep him talking.

He walked to a bar and ordered a bottle of sake. He sipped his while she pretended to gulp hers, using a silent jutsu to gather it in a puddle outside. Intoxication would make her job that mush harder. Even though she wasn't actually drinking, she pretended to get drunk.

"So what information do you have for me?" She carefully slurred her words and glazed her eyes over. "It had to be pretty good to bring me all the way here, nya."

"The Cutter's troops are three days north of the uppermost border. They plan to stay stationary for the next week or so. There will be plenty of time to counter if you leave for Sunagakure tomorrow morning."

"Why can't I just leave now?"

"There is the payment that we worked out, and there is the other information that you wanted to know. I gave you half the information. Pay and I'll give you the other half."

Ayami cringed inwardly, but displayed no outward signs. "Well, let's go party then, nya."

He lead her to a small room in a decrepit ryokan. The futon was mildewed and the floor was not clean. Soon the chore was finished, Wantanabe was around fifty years old.

"They have a base about three days from Hidden Fox Lake. It's no use though, if you get to close to the entrance you'll get your throat slit. There doesn't appear to be any other way in."

Wantanabe rolled over and opened a bento box and offered her a onigiri, eating one himself. Ayami picked up one of the same kind and nibbled on it, pleasantly surprised by the plum in the center. If it hadn't been for that plum, she might have noticed that he did not swallow.

When Wantanabe turned away again to put the bento box back down, Ayami shoved the point of her kunai between his forth and fifth vertebra. He was instantly paralyzed and blood splattered Ayami's face and hands. She washed her hands and put her clothes on, leaving it right where it was.

She met back with her team outside of town shortly before dusk. "Three days north of our land holdings, nya. We need to do this quick."

Ayami's bones ached a bit, but other wise she felt fine when she informed the Kazekage. He sent up two squads of ANBU and The Cutter's restance was crushed within the week. Shortly afterwards, her team was sent out again to retrieve Masahashi Kuro.

The forest seemed too close in on them as the narrowed in on his location. Suddenly, kunais flew from the branches, nailing the leader of the other team. Even from the sound of it Ayami knew that he was dead. It was a shame she had never really known the man. Thud-thud. Two of her sub-ordinates were down and the sources kept moving, darting from tree to tree. Seized by a sudden fear of death, she fled into the trees, leaving the other ninjas to their certain death.

Ayami ran, her mind utterly blank, she just ran and ran and ran until her legs cramped. She propped herself under a tree and went to sleep. When she woke she was cold, hungry and stiff. She wondered where she was and then she remembered the slaughter from the trees. She cursed herself, her forehead protector was gone. If those were Masahashi's men, those bodies would never be seen again. If she didn't go back, there would be no shame. They could all think that she had died a death befitting of a shinobi, a death in combat.

She stood, trying to get her bearing, but she was completely lost. She navigated west until she hit the shoreline then headed south along the beach until she came to a small fishing village. "Where is Sunagakure from here?"

An old shop owner looked up from his cabbage and pointed a crooked finger to the north-east. "About ten days walk that way."

She thanked the man and hurried away for no particular reason. She had no clue what she should do next.

When Ayami entered firmiliar forest about a week later, she veered away from Sunagakure and instead headed to her cousin's home in The

Village Hidden by The Waterfall. Once a great ANBU member, her sister now worked at a restaurant ryokan fusion. She walked slowly, getting there in a week and a half or so.

"Sa! What am I to do?" Ayami exclaimed once they sat in the back room, having explained the situation.

"You should do what you always wanted, that you should." Ayami looked at her quizzically. Honda Sakura scowled, girly black hair making the expression look humorous. "Don't even kid yourself, you know what I'm talking about, you do. You are not getting any younger, that you aren't. Dear god, your almost thirty-one and you haven't ever had a boyfriend, you haven't! Fools be blessed, you don't look your age, but soon you'll start feeling it, that you will! Either do something with your dream or move on, you should!"

Ayami admitted the truth and left as quickly as she had come. She stopped in the shop next door and procured a large sack of fragrant herbs which she later crushed.

Ayami stood in front of a nearly shear, apparently seamless rock wall. She put her fingers to the stone trying to feel vibrations from within it. They were coming from fifty to one hundred meters on her left. She used her chakra to slowly scrape the rock out of the way. She crawled into the hole and started to fill the space behind her, leaving a small tube for air. After an hour or so hear the footsteps through the thin layer of rock. She touched her fingers to the stone and counted the people present. Two, four, six, eight.

She waited until there was no movement, then tunneled through the remaining layer of rock and stepped into a room with a table, desks and chairs. She pulled the considerably less fragrant bag and headed into the room which appeared to be the cook room. There was a bottle of spice on the counter, nearly empty. Ayami assumed it was what they seasoned there meals with and slipped a handful in, barely changing the hight of the container's contents. She retreated back to the tunnel and sealed it, recrystalizing the rock.

She waited until there was no more movement again and she left the tunnel, this time sealing the tunnel completely, making the rock stronger than it was previously. Which room was Sasori-Sensei's? There was a short hallway to the right and a long hallway to the left. She took the longer room, the hall split again, three rooms to the right, two on the left. From where she was standing she could tell that the closest door on her right was open.

She stepped silently to the door and saw red hair bobbing as a puppet hand turned a screw-driver. The door was opened just wide enough for her to slip through with out moving the door. Sensing that there was no right way to do this, she sat on his bed. Sasori was so absorbed in his task that he did not notice the swish of red braid behind him.

"Hello Sasori-sensei, nya," Ayami said, trying to keep her voice from cracking.

Sasori spun around on his stool. "Who's there?" He had put the screwdriver down, but he absentmindedly held a syringe of poison in his left hand. Funny, she grumbled. He couldn't remember, but he meet someone who grumbled like that before, but where?

"What do you want?" He demanded, "How did you get here?" For a moment is seemed like her remembered her, like a half forgotten dream.

"Oh, you don't remember me, nya." She frowned, her eyes staring into nothing across the room, thinking aloud. "That ruins everything, nya!" She snapped out of her thoughts, and stood. "I'm sorry Sasori-sensei, my name is Takahashi Ayami and I trained under you before you left Sunagakure, nya." She bowed deeply to him.

As hard as her tried, Sasori couldn't remember her.

She took one step forward. Sasori, thinking she was going to attack, jumped from his seat using his momentum to lunge forward with the syringe. Startled by the sudden movement, she fell flat on her back, knocking the wind out of herself. Some shinobi I am, she thought. " What was -- that -- for? What -- did I -- do?" She gashed for breath, her lungs filling slowly. She laughed and got the hiccups, while still not breathing fully. "At least -- you didn't -- touch -- me with -- that needle, nya."

He stood there puzzling over her choppy speech, and then finally understood. He nodded.

The hiccups subsided as her lungs filled. In her head, she was screaming a prayer, Please, dear goddess Amaterasu, please let the the herbs have taken effect by now! By the grace of your light, please! She took a leap of faith, trusting her grandmother with her life. "Which way is the kitchen?" She tried to act like she didn't know, but she felt like he knew.

He pointed diagonally out, which would take you roughtly to the kitchen. "Thank you Sasori-sensei, nya." She bowed again and left, he was not quite what she remembered. She could remember her first day apprenticing under him. He must have been about twenty, and she couldn't have been more than seven or eight.

+ Twenty years ago, Sunagakure, Sasori's workshop

Chiyo-ba-sama stood in front with of the door and knocked twice. He had big blue eyes and unruly red curls. The man Ayami did not yet know towered over her. He had rised an eyebrow and Chiyo spoke. "Sasori, this is Ayami-kun. She's your apprentace."

Sasori just grumbled, but Ayami was awed by someone else with red hair. Both of her parents had black hair, but here was someone like her! He sat her on the workbench next to his, "Now, I want you to stay there and don't touch anything until I get back."

"Yes Sasori-sensei, nya." He smiled and as he walked off, he shook his head silently.

Ah yes, Ayami thought, puppy love. Just like the other girls like little boys, but eventually they realized that it wasn't mean to be for one reason or another and they moved on. I never got to realize that, he left too soon.


	2. Chapter 2

"OW!" She said as she cut her finger, she looked under the cabnet for... Ah, there it was. She pulled the cork off the large sake jug and poured herself a glass. "Ngg, my head." She corked the jar again and replaced it. What will Leader-sama think about my presence here?

"Great food!" Kisame commented.

"Yes," Leader agreed. "It is well cooked."

"Thank you very much Leader-sama, nya." She bowed to him as deeply as she could without fear of falling over. "Would you mind if I stayed here for a while?" I hope he doesn't notice the herbs, please dear god don't notice!

"We'll talk about it after dinner." Leader ate more rice, ending the conversation.

Ayami looked around, there were only six other people at the table, when there should be eight. Konan, Zetsu, Itachi and Kisame were missing from the table. I imagine it was Itachi and Kisame that left.

The chatter at dinner was loud for such a small group. Sasori hardly spoke; Deidara, sensing something was wrong, also spoke little. Dinner was soon over and Ayami took the dishes in to the kitchen. She had just started to scrub them when Leader came up behind her.

He spoke menecingly, the blade of a kunai to her throat. "Why were you here, really? Who told you about this place?"

"I doesn't matter why I'm here leader. Wantanabe Hiro told me where this was, but he's already dead, nya. I killed him by my own hands." She tried to speak calmly.

He pressed the blade to her skin threateningly. "Everything in this compound is my bussiness because it is all my responsibility. You had best tell be now."

"No, nya. My secrects are going to stay that way and you can't change it. I won't tell what I'm not allowed to tell, nya." She wished she was speaking face to face with Leader. He stood behind her with the kunai to her throat and she couldn't even read his facial expressions.

"Those words may cost you your life." She swallowed, almost chocking. The blood ran down her pale skin, staining her dress. Even with her small pain threashold foe pain, she would endure it.

"Tell me." His voice was flat and he spoke without emotion. The blade was pressed harder against her throat, causing the beads of crimson to stain her shirt. "I can't have a squealer on Akatsuki territory. If you know as much as you like to think you do, you will understand that."

"I swear on Amatrasu, the goddess of the sun, I swear it, nya! I am not here to rip it apart or to learn anything about it, nya. I am here to get..." She stopped herself mid-sentance. What am I saying? I'm trying to prove that I am trustworthy!

Leader laughed, and removed the kunai. "I can trust you I image, but how did you get in here?"

"I tunneled throught the rock, nya. I used sand jutsu to wear it down then I recrystalized it harder behind me using pressure, nya. I started about 100 meters from here, Leader-sama."

Leader shook his head and went off to do something in his room. She finished scrubing the dishes, trying to ignore the iratating cut in her throat. When she finished she went Sasori's room. She knocked on the door, when she didn't hear a responce, she walked in. The bed infront of her was Sasori's, the one to her left was Deidara's. The puppets that Sasori was working on were on his table, while Deidara's clay sculptures were to the left of the bench on what resembled a bookcase.

Having no where else to sleep, Ayami decided to sleep in the corner of the room. In the closet there was a threadbare, moth eaten blanket and a lumpy goose feather pillow. She went back out to get herself something to eat, having been too nervous during dinner. When she came back the door was shut. When she knocked, she was surprised to hear a responce.

"What do you want, un." It wasn't Sasori-sensei, it was Deidara-san.

"Nya..." Ayami didn't know what to say to Deidara-san. "It's Ayami, nya. Can I come in?

He gave a non-commital, "un..."

It's not exactly a no... Ayami thought as she opened the door. Deidara was lying on his bed, starring at the ceiling, obviously lost in thought. "Deidara-san?"

"What do you want?" He snapped. "I know exactly what you're doing, un." He sat up and looked at her with his one uncovered eye, it seemed to peirce her, she looked to the wall to break eye contact. Her insides felt like misuqito larva hatching.

Deidara spoke when it was clear that she would not make an attempt. "You made a mistake when you messed with my Danna, un. I don't know what you did but I won't stand it. When you mess with him, you mess with me, un. We're partners, that means that we work together."

"I understand, nya. I didn't mean to hurt Sasori-sensei, it's just -"

"You're a bad liar, un." He stated flatly. "We both know what you want from him and we both know that you aren't going to get it, give up, un."

She grabbed a her things and slept in the kitchen for the night. She cried silently when she thought no one was looked, while Deidara only wanted to. 


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning she had a throbbing headache. "My head, nya. My stomach too." She lifted her shirt. Her skin was bleached white like a bone with red lines zigagging her stomach. Oh crap, no! How could I possibly? The rice ball, then the sake! She pushed the thought to the back of her mind, if it was true, it didn't matter, there was no way to stop it now, Masahashi was notorious for his skill.

She made sure to slip the herbs in, as much for her nerves as for theirs. The breakfast smelled devine, but the aroma didn't bring anyone out of their rooms. She waited five more minutes and realised that breakfast was cooling quickly. She tried to put on a chearful demenior while she knocked on doors and woke people up, but the headache was killing her, both literally and figurativly she was ammused to note. Slowly, ever so slowly, the zombie like ninjas came out to feed. Once they started to eat it, they enjoyed it, maybe more from the mood enhansing drug than the actual food.

Ayami looked at the food with longing, but the smell of it made her want to retch. Soon the ordeal was over and she went back to Sasori and Deidara's room. She knocked, "Deidara-san, can I talk to you, nya?"

He spoke with dry contempt. "Come in then, un. But I'm not going to tell you about Sasori, un."

"No, that's not what I meant, nya." She sat on the floor. "I wanted to tell you something because I have to tell someone, but please, unless I die, I don't want you to tell anyone, nya. Can you promise?" She looked at his one good eye sharply and watched the curiousity overwhelm him.

"I promise I won't tell a soul, un."

"I was Sasori-sensei's apprentance before he left Sunagakure, I only worked with him for a week, and sometimes I think that it is my fault that he left, nya. Chiyo-ba-sama always told me he was on vacation, and I believed that until my twentyith birthday, for all those years I really thought that he would be back the next day, nya. The day that I became an adult is the day that I started to hunt him down, that was almost eleven years ago now, nya. I've been waiting over twenty years for him, nya. I left my village for him... I... I don't even know what I'm trying to say anymore, NYA! It probably doesn't matter, I've got about another week, or week and a half until it doesn't matter anymore, nya."

"You're a ninja, how can you feel that way, un?"

"If that is being a ninja, than I will willingly give it up, nya! I can't stand it anymore, it's going to eat me from the inside and there will be nothing left of me, nya."

"I can respect that, un." 


	4. Chapter 4

"Sasori-sensei, can I talk to you, nya?" Ayami called horsely from the back door to the meadow. "Sasori-sensei, nya?"

"Leave me alone." His voice stung her heart with ice. For a moment she envied Deidara, but the moment quickly passed. Envy was a stupid emotion that only lead to bitterness and loss. This was her one chance and she would not have it ruined by some stray emotion. She walked to the hill he sat in the shadow of and sat. He was lying on the grass, looking up at the passing clouds.

"I thought I told you to leave me alone."

"You did, nya." She admitted, shielding her eyes from the sun. "But I want to talk to you about why I came here, if you want to listen, nya." Sasori didn't speak so she continued. "I came here because I love you, nya." It felt like the elephant on her chest finally decided to go for a walk, but the body tingling marred the moment.

Then Sasori spoke. "So what, why should I care?"

All of the words that Ayami wanted to say were stuck in her throat. Sasori repeated himself, "Why should I care?"

"I... I don't know, I guess I -"

"You what?" He almost spat venom. " You thought that I would just accept you because you said 'I love you'? Grow up and figure out how the real world works!"

"Oh," was all the response she could muster, after all it was true. How could I really think he'd accept that with open arms? She stood, unsteady on her feet, her headache pulsing full force. A two tears came from her left eye as she sat in what could only be described as a living room. The tears made her feel weak, marking her as inferior to the men, who never cried where anyone could see it.

This was a waking nightmare; everything she had worked so hard on slipping through her hands like the sands of time. Ayami didn't know what to do, what went next? She kicked herself for not looking this far ahead. He was the first and only person that she had ever fallen in love with and she had no idea what she was supposed to do next. If Sa was here right now, then she would be able to tell her what she was doing wrong. Ayami was all by herself and had no clue what to do.

The poison was working swiftly. She was already experiencing small spasms, and her whole body felt like people were driving nails into it. It seemed like she would have less time than she had expected. She would try until she couldn't.

Leader tapped her on the shoulder, snapping her out of her thoughts. "Ayami, are you going to make lunch?"

"Yes, Leader-sama, nya," no matter what happened life had to continute as expected.

She cooked lunch, putting in a large amount of the chakra blocker. She was too nasious to even look at it now.

+

At this rate I won't be able to eat tomorrow. Ayami sat under the stars after having to skip dinner also.

Deidara sat next to her cross legged. "That bad, un?" He spoke in such a monotone value around her, it was almost scary, like he was the puppet, not Sasori.

"I guess, nya. I have to commend Masahashi though, if I had drank the sake that night, I would have died, nya. I only took a small sip and look where it got me, nya." Ayami struggled to her feet, not quite finding her center of balance. She wobbled to the door frame, grabbing the treashold for support. She felt utterly helpless. 


	5. Chapter 5

Sasori stood across from the door, watching Ayami pretend to staggar off-balance in order to earn his sympathy. It was disgusting and pointless, he could see through that guise. If she was really so off balance, she would have fallen over by now, but she had managed to stay up-right. Deidara followed her by about five-feet. She went back the kitchen and layed down on her blanket.

Deidara walked up to Sasori, "I know that expression on your face, Danna, un. You look like that when you have someone's plan figured out, un. She doesn't have a plan, at least not one like that, un."

"What do you mean? Of course she acting, only I could create a poison that lethal."

"Are you sure Danna, un? What about Masahashi?"

"He has a gift, but he wouldn't waste his time on a minnow like that, obscessed with love and happiness. He has bigger fish to fry."

"Sasori, how can you be so sure if you haven't run any tests, un?" He sighed at the expression on his partner's face. "Just look into it, un. One more thing, un. She told me you are fond of me, un. Is that true?"

Sasori could not force himself to admit that dark secret, knowing that his partner did not share it with him. "Not at all."

Deidara was crushed, for a moment he almost felt like his partner shared his affliction, but of cource that was a trick of his plastic skin. "I didn't think so." Both of them frowned inwardly, feeling a pit growing in them, but they felt seperated, unable to realize the truth of each other.

+

"How do you feel Ayami?" He had a nagging feeling that Deidara was hiding something from him.

"Horrible, nya." She smiled weakly.

Sasori looked as her face and she wasn't lying. "How do you hurt?"

The smile turned upside-down instantly. "Tremors, body pain, cramping, high fever, headache and numbness, nya." A tremor race through her body, and she laughed, stoping instantly was the pain hacked her like a dull sword. "I'm sorry to get in the way like this, nya."

He ignored her, speaking more to himself than anything. "I can assume from the progression that it is a poison. I can try to make an antidote for you; first I'll need blood samples first."

Ayami offered her arm and looked the other way, wanting no part in this, or any other action involving needles. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing, nya." She looked the other way again. "Just take the blood, NYA?" The clean needle slid into the vain and drew the blood, the smooth entrance and exit removed the pain from the process. A strong tremor grasped her and she withed until her shirt came up, showing her abdomen. The pale flesh was now highlighted by red, purple and blue streaks.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Sasori was dumbfounded. "I would have helped you! I don't know if there is enough time for that now, you are so far along."

Ayami cried and looked him in the eye. "I don't want to live anymore, don't you understand? Now all I do is take up space and breathe valuable air. Just end it damn you!" Her fever was spiking. "I'll be your puppet Sasori-sensei, I will. Just ask me." She passed out and he applied a cold compress to her forehead. 


	6. Chapter 6

Next Night

That night was quiet, the effects of the herbs starting to wear off. Everything went fine until Ayami had a fit. She convulsed so uncontrollably that Sasori had to take her back to his room and administer a sedative that night. She slipped into a coma that night.

Sasori sat there, flabbergasted. How could anyone want to die that way? He stared at her for a few hours, trying to determine in his head what the antidote would need. Suddenly it hit him on both fronts. He knew the antidote and why he was so strange around her. She reminded him of... himself. But as he put together the antidote, the answer seemed less and less likely. He admired her courage in doing this, but he just couldn't let her do it.

+

Ayami woke early the next morning and cussed. She stood on unsteady legs and staggered over to Sasori. She slapped him. "What were you doing, nya?" He didn't speak. She slapped him again. He didn't move. She fell to her shaky knees and cried. He awkwardly put an arm around her and whispered. "It's ok, puppet, it will be fine."

+

Ayami stood on a cliff overlooking the sea. It was a dizzying height, and the salt breeze played with her hair, pushing it this way and that. She thought about what Sasori had said to her four days ago.

"Don't die," he had said. "After all, what good is a puppet that doesn't do what it is told?" Then he had kissed her lightly on the lips.  
She was so confused; what was she to him? What was he to her? Would Deidara ever forgive her? Had she ruined their relationship? Her stomach growled, distracting her from her thoughts. Why didn't I bring any food? ...Or money for that matter? She laughed quietly to herself. It's just not my style. She smiled and walked along the path. What next?

She felt strangely happy when she should have been crying and acting suicidal. Somehow she was actually happy. Why do I have a feeling that he gave me more than just a sedative and an antidote? And he did, he give her hope to go on. 


	7. Chapter 7

* * *

Dear Reader, I have good news and I have bad news.

Good news:

1. New chapters, more in character

2. Writers block broken!

3. Morphing in new direction

Bad News:

1. I don't own Naruto

2. Morphing in new direction

* * *

Date: 19-JUNE

Bring! Ayami rolled over stiffly and turned off the alarm clock. She looked around in panic for a moment; then she realized where she was.

She quickly pulled on her dress and went to make breakfast. Konan was standing in the kitchen when she arrived.

"Good morning, Konan-san, nya. I don't think I met you last time I was here, nya. My name is Takahashi Ayami; it is very nice to meet you, nya." Ayami bowed deeply, trying to make a good impression on Leader's partner.

"Since you'll be cooking from now on, I should tell you, I don't like fish cakes. Don't cook any." She was condescending and her tone was cold. It was almost as if she was accusing Ayami of plotting to cook them.

"Of course, Konan-san, nya." Her attempt didn't seem to be doing any good. Ayami shifted uncomfortably under the blue haired woman's gaze. "I'll start breakfast right away, nya."

Konan nodded and left the kitchen, closing the door behind her. Ayami sighed. _I almost wish that I could slip in herbs again this time, it made them so much more friendly._ Regardless of how they felt about her, she was determined to stay. The cupboards were mostly bare, so she settled for rice with a vegetable on the side. Most of Akatsuki was awake by the time breakfast was on the table. One person was missing though, Itachi.

"You will need to wake Itachi up," Kisame said. "He cannot stand missing breakfast. His room in front of yours on the left."

_Itachi having his own room probably isn't a good thing, at least for me._ Ayami took a deep breath and knocked on the door. She waited for a response but there wasn't one. She knocked louder, but there was still no response. Slowly she opened the door, expecting Itachi to attack at any time. Much to her amazement he was under a gray blanket on the only bed in the room, and appeared to be sleeping soundly.

"Itachi-san, nya?" Ayami asked cautiously. "Itachi-san, breakfast is ready, nya." The ninja did not seem to stir. Ayami crept forward, fearing that she would anger Itachi, who had a history of violent outbursts. "Itachi-san, please wake up, nya." _Oh great, I'm going to have to shake him. _She inched toward him wishing that she could be anywhere but here. She put her hand on his shoulder and then she was on the floor. A knee pushed harshly into her spine, her hands were held behind her back, her chin bashed into the stone and there was a kunai to her throat.

"Itachi-san," she coughed, "breakfast is ready, nya."

Itachi released her wrists and stood, walking out of the room calmly, as if nothing had even happened. Ayami stood and just breathed, everything had happened so quickly! As soon as she had collected herself she went back to the dining room. As she ate her rice, her jaw ached; she was going to have a nasty bruise.

Everyone ate in silence.

_I wish I could drug them again._ Ayami sighed inwardly as she cleaned away the dishes.

Ayami walked out to the laundry room which adjoined the kitchen and was astonished by the sheer amount of dirty laundry. In most of the twenty by twenty room, the clothes came roughly up to the knee. _Damn! When was the last time these got washed?!_ Ayami went about her task, dutifully sorting the colors into large heaping piles, beginning to wash the whites.

Lunch was the same silent affair that breakfast had been. Ayami had been hoping they would only be cold and indifferent in the mornings. _Oh yes, they Akatsuki that we know and love._ She thought sarcastically as she scrubbed the dishes. The white clothes were all finally done washing, so Ayami went out and looked for a clothesline. There wasn't one. She ran a bit of plastic rope between two tall oaks and put the clothes up to dry. By the end of the day, Ayami felt as if the only difference in the clothes was that they were now in colored piles. It appeared as if there had been no difference in the room at all! Ayami went to sleep that night and had a nightmare about suffocating under a pile of Akatsuki cloaks.

When Ayami woke, she went straight in to the laundry room and put in a load of black; which was by far the most populous color. Breakfast was much the same as the day before, except, Ayami was relieved to notice, Itachi was already awake. When she put his rice in front of him, she felt like she should say something, but couldn't find anything to say. The day went by much the same as the one before it.

It was dark before Ayami got back inside that night. She was tired, but proud of her work; there was finally a noticeable dent in the dirty clothing.

Everyone was already in bed. Half the lights were off in the hall, so it must be almost midnight.

As she passed Sasori and Deidara's room, Ayami saw long blonde hair covering red hair and a white sheet slipping from Deidara's shoulder to the small of his back.

Ayami looked away quickly. She slammed her door shut and starred at the ceiling. _What did I really expect?_ She thought._ Exactly what did I expect? They are together and last time I was here I almost ripped them apart forever! If I stay for nothing else it will be to make it up to Saso-san._ _I need to prove to everyone that I am worth respecting! I came in here last time and disrespected the rules. This time I will do everything by the book! If Deidara and Sasori ever break apart, I will be here to pick up the pieces! I will stay and I will work my hardest!_

She fell asleep knowing that coming back to Akatsuki was the right decision and that her life would be different forever.


	8. Chapter 8

15-JULY

After four days hard walk, Ayami was making the final five miles through the forest before Hidden Fox Lake. The thick dark green foliage kept scratching her arms and face. The trees formed a canopy that blocked out most of the light giving the trail the appearance of perpetual twilight, causing her to stumble over twigs and leggy brambles quite ofter. The darkness and pain in her legs made her want to quit, but she knew that her goal was too close to give up now. Ayami wanted desperately to see her son again so that she could be sure that he was safe.

The footpath was small and overrun with all manner of small roots and twigs. Many of the branches hung at about shoulder height and had to be walked under or hacked at with a machete. The trail may have been used once, but it appeared to be quite abandoned now. The trail grew wider and the afternoon light gradually became brighter as she neared the lake. Soon she could see an open grassy meadow instead of the monotony of thorny bushes and tall trees that lined the trail for miles.

Ayami sighed with relief when the lake came into view. Its calm waters were a deep blue. She sat on the damp, dark earth, just a few feet above the red clay banks. The lake looked quite peaceful, but its deep water concealed a lot of activity. Ayami leaned her head back on to the oak behind her and closed her eyes, in thought.

"Ayami," a hand shook her. "Ayami, wake up." Sa shook Ayami's shoulder a little bit harder and was rewarded with a groggy insult. Sa took off the baby carrier and leaned it against the other side of the tree. She scraped herself on the bark and silently wished she was wearing long sleeves.

"Whadda ya want, nya?" Ayami yawned as she shook off her sleep. Then she started to panic, "wait, where's Hirohito, nya?"

"Relax Aya!" Sa reached behind the large tree and picked up Hirohito out of his baby carrier. She handed him to Ayami gingerly. Silently she was glad to get rid of the fussy baby. Her husband had complained about him almost every night and refused to do his share of the work. He always insisted that raising children was a woman's job.

Ayami cried. "Oh, I've missed you so much, nya! I'll never leave you again, I promise, nya." She kissed Hirohito's forehead softly and he grabbed at her collar with his little fists. Even his bowed legs and bad liver were forgiven. He tried to grab her hair but she quickly changed her ponytail to a bun. Hirohito had a strong grip and liked to yank things. He was fascinated with her hair, but she would rather have a loud baby than a missing patch of hair.

"Oh, Yamaguchi carried out his attack last week. Honda Hirotoki is dead. So you're officially a widow, although everyone thinks that you died in the fire. A while corner of the ryokan burned before we were able to put out the flames. The reconstruction is almost done. By the way, how is it going?"

Ayami felt sorry that Hirotoki's life was needlessly ended, but she had never really felt much of an attachment to the man, so his death did not hit her any harder than when see to the life of a ninja while on a mission. "There's a lot of laundry and the mood is very somber, nya." Ayami furrowed her brow and looked at the ground, thinking over what had happened in the last month or so. There was that morning with Itachi, and a lot of laundry. She considered telling Sa about Sasori and Deidara, but she thought better of it just as the words were forming in her throat. It would make Sa feel guilty and Ayami didn't think sharing the burden with someone who couldn't help was fair.

Sa glanced at her watch and grimaced. "I'm sorry Aya, but I have to leave. I'm already late as it is." Without a waiting for a response, Sa had already disappeared from view down a narrow path in the nearby trees. She had left the baby carrier and a bag of the babies clothes and toys.

Hirohito was not a very cute baby; he had inherited many of his father's features, which had been a night of convenience, not of love or for looks. He had a squashed face like his father's, his ears were too large, he had squinty eyes and he had a crooked nose. But every mother loves their child, regardless of their appearance. Ayami was no exception. Hirohito, being her only son, was her favorite and had large amounts of attention lavished on him.

Ayami set up camp not far from the lake; she was not going to risk tripping in the darkness while she had a baby on her back. Even when she was a shinobi, her teachers had always scolded her for her bad balance. She had always been the worst in class. The nights were cold and wet while the days were hot and sunny. If they weather had just picked what it was going to do, the travel would have been much easier.

The journey back to Headquarters was even longer than the trip out. Every day for six days Ayami would break camp, put the baby on her back and start walking. The fifty pounds that the baby and pack added were not welcome additions to the trip, since it was mostly uphill. Hirohito threw of Ayami's center of gravity, sending her sprawling more than once. The idea of a hot shower and flat ground kept her going most of the time. When she finally returned, Ayami was glad to be back on the flat stone floors of her new home. I guess this is really it. I'm here to stay.

1-AUGUST

Ayami carefully laid Hirohito in the crib she had bought a week earlier. She promptly went to take a shower to wash away the grime that was impossible to remove when outdoors. When she went to sleep that night she slept soundly. Then the baby started crying. It made her think of the old rhyme her mother used to tell her when she was little:

If only,

If only,

The woodpecker cried.

Wishes were horses,

Then beggars,

Would ride.

Over the next week it seemed as if she had twice as much work to do in half the time. The housework seemed to pile up and the baby always needed attention. She felt as if she didn't get near enough sleep with the constant late night interruptions.

One night, when getting milk for the baby, she could she Sasori and Deidara kissing out of the corner of her eye. It almost seemed as it they left their door open some nights just so that she could see them.

At this point, Ayami was jealous of the Deidara, but she tried her hardest to treat him just equal to everyone else. I will not let Deidara get to me! I will be better than him by treating him equally. Then it will be obvious to Sasori who is better!

Luckily, for the next month only Itachi and Kisame were in the compound, so Ayami had time to catch up on laundry. Ayami found herself sleeping whenever she got a chance. It seemed like she only slept for thirty minutes at a time. When she finally got into a comfortable rhythm and was happy with what she was doing, everyone came back within a week of each other, drastically increasing her workload. Once again she was inundated by dirty clothing.


	9. Chapter 9

23-SEPTEMBER

Ayami woke early to make breakfast; Leader and Konan were leaving for a mission. As she put breakfast down, she noticed that Itachi wasn't at the table. _He should be here. Kisame is here and I saw them come back together last night._ She looked at Itachi's spot and then to Kisame who nodded once.

A feeling of foreboding crept into Ayami as she neared Itachi's door. _I hope that nothing like last time happens, that bruise lasted for almost three weeks._ She knocked on the door; she received no answer. She opened it slowly; Itachi was sleeping soundly under his gray blanket. "Itachi-sama, please wake up, nya." She said loudly.

Almost suddenly he was sitting upright in his bed. He looked at her as if to ask why she was there. Ayami swallowed, even though he never did anything to her with his sharingun, those red eyes looking at her always made her scared. "Itachi-sama, breakfast is ready, nya." She spoke shakily.

He scowled, "Don't call me sama like that damn Orochimaru!" He sounded quite agitated and his brow furrowed in anger. His contorted features made him look even more intimidating than he usually did. He brushed his hair out of his face and looked up to the ceiling as if remembering something. He was often most violent when he remembered his past.

She was deathly terrified that he would strike her down then and there, she bowed and apologized, "I'm very sorry Itachi-san, it won't happen again, nya." _That's strange for him, usually the more polite you speak, the less he seems to notice you. I wonder who this Orochimaru person is. I wonder if that's his brother's name, he often acts like that when Hidan brings up his brother. I have a feeling that if Hidan wasn't immortal like he is that both Kakuzu and Itachi would have killed him by now._

As Ayami was scrubbing the breakfast dishes, Leader came in. "Chop some firewood, there is an ax in the closet of the washroom." Leader was gone before she could ask him any questions, as the case always was, especially when he was about to leave for a mission. Apparently there was a problem with Root in Konohagakure. Why they needed to leave so early was a complete mystery to Ayami, but she wasn't here to learn anything about Akatsuki, so it didn't really matter.

Ayami opened the laundry room door and sighed at the heap of clothing that Kisame and Itachi had added. _It's like the members have a dirty clothing jutsu! _Shaking her head silently she opened the closet door. Behold! There actually was an ax in the closet. _Somehow, after four months working here, having an ax in the closet fails to surprise me._ She slung it over her right shoulder and balanced a laundry basket on her hip with her right hand so that she could open the heavy door.

She picked an oak suitably far from the compound and clothesline, laying the ax against its trunk. She looked up at the dark gray sky and decided against hanging the laundry, putting the basket right in side the door.

She picked up the ax and set about doing her work. After a few swings at the trunk she could tell that the blade could use some sharpening, and would be almost uselessly dull when she finished. She hacked away at the tree, woodchips sticking to her sweaty arms, clothing and face. As the oak started to fall towards her, she jumped to the left, narrowly avoiding being clipped by the large branches.

The sweat stung her eyes as she wiped the back of her hand across her forehead. After standing there for a moment to catch her breath, she started to chop the log into useable pieces for the fireplaces inside the house, as she had taken to referring to it. She was almost grateful when a light drizzle started to fall, cooling her off slightly.

Ayami gathered a bundle of firewood and headed over to a tarp the she had managed to rig off a lip in the rock earlier that day so that the rain would not fall the new woodpile because wet wood is hard to burn. She stacked the wood carefully and stood up, noticing Itachi standing in the doorway.

She walked over to him, avoiding those red eyes. "Yes, Itachi-san, nya?" _Maybe he's going to act like Konan and hit me now._ She braced herself, waiting for the hit to come. She waited for a moment and then looked up at his face. It appeared as if the corner of his lips were poised a fraction higher in amusement, but Ayami couldn't be sure one way or the other.

"Nothing, I saw you carrying the wood. You have good shoulders." He spoke in the disinterested tone that he often used, but Ayami couldn't shake the feeling that his lips were curved upwards slightly. Itachi walked away and Ayami walked back to the fallen tree. _I can never tell what I should say to him when I'm talking, although it's probably best that I say nothing. Still it really seems as if I should say something to him._

She picked the ax back up with tired sluggish arms, then she stood perfectly still with the ax's handle laying across the length of her forearm. _Wait, did he just compliment me?_ She thought dumbfounded._ No, that can't be it. He was probably just commenting that I have strong shoulders in his own Itachi-like way. Itachi would never __**complimen**_t_ anybody._ Ayami shook her head dismissing the idea and continued to chop the wood.

Ayami probably could have finished that day if she didn't have to stop to make lunch and dinner for Tobi, Itachi and Kisame. She actually had to quit earlier than she expected when the drizzle turned into a heavy rain. As she went in to take a shower, she noticed that the clothesbasket had been put back into the washroom.


	10. Chapter 10

4-APRIL

Ichihiro coughed loudly and all Ayami could do was frown. He had gotten his racking cough yesterday and it only seemed to get worse with time. As far as she could tell it was the flu and that did not bode well for her one-year-old. She had started him on some herbs that her grandmother had once given her when she was little, albeit in a half dose. He didn't seem to be getting any better.

Akatsuki didn't seem to care that Ichihiro was sick, they still came in and told her to do things, expecting them to get done in the normal amount of time. The floors needed to be scrubbed of the spring mud and the garden needed to be tended to. The meals still needed to be cooked on time and the laundry still had to be done. Everyone in Akatsuki was determined to have everything operate as it usually did. There would be no change in the service that they received, at least not without someone paying for it.

Ayami's nerves were frazzled. She never got as much sleep as she would have like, and now her son was coughing most of the night, leaving her with far too little sleep. Akatsuki was strung particularly tight this week and her lack of sleep made it very hard to walk the fine line of not enraging anyone. If she did it one way she was too loud, if she did it the other way, she was taking too long.

All Ayami really wanted to do was sleep. She didn't care if she annoyed someone and payed for it later, she didn't care if it made Sasori think that she was lazy, she just wanted to sleep. She sat on a pile of clothing in the laundry room to take a break and then it was dark outside. Leader was standing in the doorway and he didn't look too pleased. "What do you think you're doing?" He demanded. "Get up and make dinner."

Ayami jumped up, "Yes Leader-sama, nya." She quickly threw a dinner together, being extra careful not to burn anything in her groggy state or, as inevitably happened when something was burnt, Zetsu would give her a lecture or Kakuzu would give her a bruise or two to remember.

Ayami set down the steaming dishes and rushed off to feed her son, instead of eating with everyone else. After he was done with his mush, she put the dish in the sink and cleared off the table, eating the rest of a sandwich from lunch.

She fell asleep in the tub and was woken by the opening of the door. She squeaked loudly and the door shut before the person even got a foot in the door. She drained the cold water out of the tub and put on her nightgown. She would have apologized to the person waiting outside of the bathroom, but there was no one in the hallway. _I hope that they won't yell at me about it tomorrow._

8-APRIL

As soon as she woke, Ayami knew that something was wrong. She was up later than usually, but Ichihiro wasn't crying or coughing. She rushed over to his crib and picked him up. His lips were blue. He was cold and limp. Her son was dead.

"No, Ichihiro, wake up, wake up honey, nya!" She cried. "No, wake up, wake up, nya! Wake up, nya. Please, nya. Please wake up, nya!" _No, come on, wake up. Wake up Ichihiro!_ It was no use though, he wasn't going to wake up and Ayami knew it.

The door opened slowly and Tobi stuck his head in. His posture suddenly became much more serious. He took one look at the baby in her arms and left. Ayami only cried harder. Eventually she put him back in the crib, knowing what she had to do.

She made a simple breakfast of rice gruel and put it on the table. She took the shovel out of the closet in the laundry room and went out the very edge of the meadow, about a quarter of a mile from the washroom, and started digging. She didn't bother making lunch. _They are all grown adults, then can feed themselves for one meal or the can starve!_ About an hour before dark the grave was deep enough that no scavengers would be able to desecrate her son's remains.

When she went back in, she started crying loudly. She picked up her son, saying her final goodbyes as she walked back out. Tobi, Itachi, Kisame, Leader and Konan accompanied her out. While crying, Ayami lowered her son into the grave. No one said a word as she started filling the grave one shovelful at a time. Soon the grave was covered by the dark, moist soil and she planted a cherry pit in it.

Konan left first, followed by Leader and Tobi. Ayami felt a hand on her shoulder and turned around to see Itachi, he moved his thumb slightly and turned around to leave with Kisame. She got on her knees and cried. "Why Amaterasu, why? Why did he have to die so young? It wasn't his time dammit!"

She went in when it got hard to see. _Next spring there will be beautiful cherry blossoms there._ Ayami felt like it was her fault. _If I hadn't been so selfish, if I hadn't come here, he would still be alive now. I'm so sorry Ichihiro! If I could do it all over again I wouldn't come here. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry._

Ayami threw herself into the household tasks to keep her mind off of her son. She scrubbed floors and walls. She washed clothes and cooked. She chopped wood and weeded the garden; she even scrubbed the walls of Hidan's room while he was out on a mission.

The only time she did not work for the next month was when she slept. One day she didn't get out of bed, not to cook, clean or eat. After that day she did her work quietly with a frown on her face until August, her favorite month.


	11. Chapter 11

12-AUGUST

Leader and Konan came home with smiles on their faces (which in itself was a rare occurrence) and large bottles of sake in their packs. Ayami took their unbelievable amount of dirty clothing to the washroom and then came back to see sake glasses set on the table. Sasori, Deidara, Leader, Konan, Itachi and Kisame were sitting around in various states of merriment as their glassed were filled for some sort of celebration.

Ayami took the bottle from Leader and started to pour rounds for everyone. Sasori retained his plastic expression, sipping his lightly. Deidara's mouth appeared to extend too far in either direction was he downed another glass. Konan sipped slowly through her grin so as to keep her lady-like reputation intact.

Leader took his alcohol quickly, gulping it through an ear-to-ear grin that got larger as he drank. Kisame started off drinking slowly, but he drank more quickly as he got drunk. Itachi kept a steady pace throughout the first bottle. It was quite obvious that they were going to get drunk if they were to keep drinking through another bottle at this pace, they hadn't even eaten dinner yet.

As Ayami got the second bottle, Leader insisted that she get a glass as well. "What exactly is the occasion, nya?" She asked him. _It's got to be pretty big if Akatsuki is this happy about it. Maybe it has something to do with that person that Itachi dislikes so much._

"We destroyed two of Orochimaru's hideouts this week!" Leader exclaimed quite happily. He was already starting to slur his words, but he was still lucid enough to harm her if she quit pouring. She obeyed his command and filled his glass again, and again, and again. _He must have a hard stomach if he's holding this much liquor this well. _

_I have no clue who this Orochimaru is, but everyone seems to hate him._ She sipped her glass slowly, hoping to avoid getting drunk. Leader, Konan and Deidara were simply ecstatic. Sasori held one of his happier plastic expressions. Kisame was starting to loosen up and smile a bit. The corner's of Itachi's mouth seemed to curve upwards, if only slightly. At first it seemed like only Deidara and Leader would get drunk, but then Itachi pulled his hair-tie out, claiming, "It was giving me a headache." Obviously he was drunk too, but was much better at hiding it.

As the third bottle came to the table, Ayami felt herself slipping, but it was too late. She couldn't tell what order anything was in or who was talking. She found herself laughing at that old joke about the dirty horse. The one everyone hears when they are ten. Then everything went fuzzy.

13-AUGUST

Ayami woke with a splitting headache. There was a slick spot under her hip, which could mean only one thing. She gathered her bathrobe around herself and staggered out to the kitchen and poured herself another drink from the half empty fifth bottle. She nursed another two drinks before the pounding in her head died down. _Jesus, how much of this did I drink on my own?_

She went back to her room and sat in the chair. _Who was it?_ She tried to remember, but everything was a blur after that third bottle opened. She looked at the clothing on strewn on the floor, all of which appeared to be hers. _Let's see, Deidara and Leader were drunk. Oh god, I hope it wasn't Deidara!_ She picked up her clothes to see if they had left anything behind. Under her bed there was a sock. She picked it up… _Only Itachi wears this kind of sock! What is it doing here?!_ She looked down the hall but Itachi's door was shut. When she looked around, she couldn't find her other sock.

_How could Itachi's sock have ended up in here? Were he and Deidara drunk enough to swap them?_ Ayami threw the clothes in the washroom and took a shower before making breakfast. She had the food on the table before anyone came out. Only Sasori appeared to have been spared from a hangover. It took two or three drinks for everyone's heads to sit on their shoulders again.

Almost all of Leader's piercings were out. Konan's flower was crushed and her hair was a mess. Deidara and Itachi's hair was down while Kisame had bags about ten feet wide under his eye. Ayami stood and slipped, landing on her back. When she looked to she what she slipped on she handed Itachi his hair tie, she must have never picked it up.

When he realized that his hair was down, Itachi put it up in a sloppy ponytail quickly. _When Itachi had his hair down he almost looked like someone you would talk to._ Ayami looked around the table and realized that everyone's eyes were still glazed over. She cautiously poured another round and watched as their eyes came to life, and how they all fled back to their rooms when they realized what they looked like. _They really are quite vain for people who are feared all around the world._ She cleared away the breakfast dishes and changed her sheets.

She laid in bed again and went right back to sleep. When she woke up the next morning, she ran right to the bathroom and threw up. _I need to relax. It's probably just something that I ate. It's not like…_ But in her head she knew that's what it was. The real question was who the father was.

Ayami just didn't want to believe it. _I can't be pregnant! Especially not when I'm here! If I step over the line on accident they'll hit me and hurt the baby. It's not like I can leave either. I wouldn't have anywhere to go! Sunagakure and The Village Hidden by the Waterfall both think I'm dead and I can't ask Sa to fix me up with someone else, there isn't any one lined up or even considered! I have to be very careful from now on._


	12. Chapter 12

29-FEBURARY

Ayami rolled out of bed, her pregnant belly slowing her down considerably. _How long has it been since I've seen my feet? It seems like forever._ Her belly was huge. The amount of fabric that it took to cover her was proof enough. The household chores still needed to be done though. She made her way to the kitchen wobbling on her feet.

She put last night's rice in a pan and fried it up. She cooked a vegetable on the side feeling very tired. _I should probably be in bed now but…_ _If I don't cook, I'm probably not going to get to eat, and that isn't good for the baby._ _I surely hope that it isn't Deidara's, he's quite immature at times, always destroying things. Leader might actually have the heart to look after his son._ She pulled a Star Beet out of the fridge and put the food on the table.

She sat in her chair with some effort and bit into the large pickle-like beet. It was more like a sweet girkan than a dill, but it had the texture of a beet. _When I was little I used to hate these things, now they are all that I want to eat!_ She sighed as she sipped her hot tea.

Oh, the baby was kicking again. Ichihiro hadn't kicked that much, but this baby surely did!

Akatsuki didn't give Ayami much slack because she was pregnant, but of course there was some. She still had to cook and wash, but she didn't have to chop wood or scrub the floors anymore. After it was obvious that she was pregnant, no one had hit her again, although she could tell that sometimes they wanted to. For a group of S-rank missing-nins, they were quite understanding and did not ridicule her as a village would have done to her as an unwed mother. Somehow in the echoing silence she felt like she actually belonged. There was almost always a frown of concentration on her face, but when everything was quiet and still, when everyone was asleep and she thought about it, she was happy with where she was.

It seemed like Konan cared the least about Ayami, but after all, that was to be expected, they disliked each other will a passion, but Ayami was quieter than Konan about it. Perhaps it had to do with the fact that they were the only women in the compound. Konan had to be cold to get into Akatsuki, because even though female ninjas were common, men still though that they were superior. When Ayami had first gotten here, she thought that Konan would have gotten along with her quite easily, being bonded together by their gender in an obviously overbearingly male organization. Ayami felt like she lost any hope of forming a friendly bond with the woman after the incident with the shirt.

It was almost funny, Konan was often referred to in a man-like way and she often referred to herself in the same manner, but Ayami was always referred to as a woman. Konan had taken to saying boku instead of atashi as a woman in an informal situation would have. Ayami always referred to herself as watakushi, the most formal word for I. The men always referred to themselves as ore, the most impolite word for I. _I suppose that they are all trying to act evil. It seems pointless though, everyone is afraid of them already._

Ayami cleared the dishes from the table with deliberate movements, wasting no energy. She put the dishes in the sink and went off to talk with Leader who was working at the table in the living room. Sasori and Itachi were reading in chairs on opposite sides of the room. "Leader-sama, please, may I have the day off, nya?" She asked him politely. "Just one day, please, nya."

"Why do you deserve one?" He asked, not looking up from the bingo book he was putting together.

"Leader-sama, nya! I'm seven months pregnant, I'm almost bigger around than I am tall, nya!" She caught herself and used a more polite tone. "Please, Leader-sama, let me have a day off, nya!"

Leader raised an eyebrow at her tone but said nothing. "Please Leader-sama, nya!" Without looking up or changing his tone he spoke. "What do you think, Itachi?" _Damn it, I almost had a chance there!_

He looked up from his book as if to say 'why should it matter what I have to say'. He spoke in his disinterested tone that was a cross between a statement and a question. "She has twins." _Thanks for the help Ita- Wait, did he say twins?!_

Leader was amused by the look of surprise on Ayami's face. "Sure, take tomorrow off." Leader shook his head silently and went back to his work.

"Thank you very much, Leader-sama, nya." She bowed to him and looked at Itachi who had returned to his book. _How did he know that when I didn't?_ She paused a moment in thought. _Maybe those eyes can do more than just get inside of your head._

1-MARCH

Ayami rolled over at 10 am and panicked because her alarm hadn't gone off yet. When she remembered that she had today off she calmed down and got dressed. She fixed herself a simple breakfast and ate slowly. She started to cry, remembering the last time she didn't have to work, the day she buried Ichihiro. The anniversary of that would be in a month and three days.

She hid that thought in the back of her mind and sipped her tea, accidentally burning her tongue. She went back to her room and laid in bed reading a book by Yamanaka Okano that she had purchased last time she had gone grocery shopping. This on was called Ai no Umi, or Sea of Love. It was a story about a princess who was captured by a pirate while sailed to go marry a prince. While she was with the pirate she fell in love with him, they got married and plundered the seas together. It was a lot of romantic mush, which was her favorite type of book.

She took the day easily, enjoying Sasori and Deidara's argument about what art was as they left. She listened to Zetsu come in and complain with himself about having to put his own laundry in the laundry room. She heard Leader and Konan leave for their mission and she heard Kisame cook himself dinner and curse as he burned it.

All too soon Ayami was hungry and had to eat. She made a sandwich and sat outside to eat it. The stars looked so wonderful and the full moon cast everything in a soft light. Ayami laid back and looked up at the stars thinking. _Twins? I never even thought about it. That would explain why I am so big this time._ Suddenly a thought hit her. _What am I going to name them?_ In the last seven months she hadn't even considered it in passing._ If they're boys, maybe Yuki and Sora would be good names. If they are girls perhaps I could call them Natsuko and Tani._

Ayami sat up again and started to get up when she saw Itachi sitting under a tree about 150 yards away. _That's strange. He's usually asleep by now. I wonder what he's thinking about._


End file.
